Chapter 20 - The Sleepover

Bella

My dad set quite a few rules in place for me to follow over the years. He would say things like, "Always look both ways before you cross the street, Isabella."

"Never take candy from strangers."

And, of course, "Never get into a car with a teenage driver."

But, one thing he never mentioned was, "Don't get into a car with a vampire."

So, as I slide into Edward's old Station Wagon, I figure I'm technically not breaking any of Dad's rules. It isn't my fault that he never considered the possibility that there's a supernatural being roaming around Forks.

Edward closes the passenger door and walks to the other side. While he fires up the engine, I glance around. The interior of the Station Wagon is in better shape than the exterior, though that isn't saying much. The carpet is stained and the windshield has a crack running down the middle. It isn't fancy in here, but at least the seats are comfortable. The only thing that worries me about this car is its ability to move from point A to point B without us crashing.

"Edward?" I say as soon as we begin driving down the dirt road leading away from the party. "Umm. Not to be nosy or anything, but...why did you buy a vehicle with only half of a steering wheel?" It's an incomplete circle. The top half is missing.

He frowns. "The steering wheel was fine when I bought it."

"Then how'd it get this way?"

"I broke it."

My eyebrows raise. "You broke it?" I reach over and touch the wheel. It's hard and unyielding. "How? It feels like solid metal."

"I'm very strong, and sometimes when I'm not careful, I can break things by accident... especially if I'm upset."

"Were you upset when you broke the steering wheel?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I heard something I didn't like," he says.

"What did you hear?"

His expression darkens like a thunderstorm. "I'd rather not talk about that yet."

"OK..." I draw out hesitantly. I see Mr. Mood Swing has decided to return.

He glances away from the road and meets my eyes. His scowl crumbles into nothing. "Excuse me. I didn't mean to snap at you. But just thinking about what I heard earlier...well, it set me off again." He waves a hand at our surroundings. "I'm sorry about the car too. If I had any idea I'd be driving you home tonight, I would have taken the Jaguar."

"I don't mind. This really isn't so bad."

Skepticism is written clearly on his face. "Are you feeling all right? Do we need to take a detour to the emergency room?"

"No thanks. I'm fine. I think this car has a comforting vibe to it. Plus it's roomy. I kind of like it."

"Apparently you're unaware of its downsides. This car smokes like Mount Vesuvius and is equipped with only an AM radio. And it's stuck on a bluegrass station."

"That really isn't much to complain about. I'd take this car over my bike any day."

"I doubt you'll feel that way after you've heard thirty minutes of dueling banjos."

"It would be better than listening to nothing at all."

"Based on personal experience, I'll have to disagree with you," he retorts dryly.

The many bridges we cross straddle over deep ravines and roaring streams. Edward's foot sits heavy on the gas pedal the entire time. The speedometer rarely goes below sixty. I don't see how he can speed by so many potentially hazardous obstacles without making a terrible mistake. I'm sure I would have crashed and burned the car under these same driving conditions - if I knew how to operate this thing.

A question pops into my head. I try to sound casual. "So...how long have you been driving?"

His mouth curls up slightly. "Are you trying to find out when I was born?"

"Born?"

"You know, the day I came kicking and screaming into this world?"

"Oh yeah... Sorry. I've sort of gotten used to the idea that you're an immortal. I completely forgot you would have been human at one time."

"Really? You forgot. Well, doesn't that just leave me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside," he mutters sarcastically.

"Don't take it like it's an insult. You've always seemed different from everyone else around here. I just never understood why until tonight."

He glances at me warily. "How am I different?"

I tap a finger on my chin, pretending I need to think hard. "Hmm. Let's see... You're crabby a lot. A little arrogant. And when someone you don't like simply tries talking to you, your glare traumatizes them for hours afterward." The smile I've been holding back breaks free. "But you're also kind when you want to be, thoughtful, and the best dance partner I've ever been with."

"I'm afraid that last part isn't much of a compliment. You've only danced with two people - and Todd wouldn't be capable of doing the hokey pokey without screwing it up."

My smile falls. "You saw him dance?"

"Bella, I saw everything that happened to you tonight."

I cover my face with my hands, the thought that Edward witnessed every moment of my disastrous date almost too much to take. "Ugh. Kill me now," I groan.

A cold hand pries my fingers from my eyes. "Please don't hide. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. I can assure you that even while Todd danced like an idiot, you were still the envy of the room."

"Yeah right," I snort.

"It's true. Didn't you notice the people who couldn't stop staring at you?"

"Sure I did. They were wondering why in the hell the weird girl from school was invited to their party."

Edward chuckles. "Not even close."

I lift my eyebrow at him. "Oh? Then why don't you tell me what they were thinking since you're so smart."

The humor dancing on his lips slackens off. "Do you really want to know?"

"Sure. Why not."

The car slows down at a four-way stop. Edward rests one hand on the steering wheel while turning his body towards me. "There were two main camps of opinion," he begins. "The first was comprised of only a handful of people. They thought it was too risky to have the daughter of the Chief of Police at the dance. They considered asking you to leave when you showed up."

"Not a surprise," I grumble.

"But the second camp was much larger than the first. Most people didn't care who your father may be. They were too focused on the way you looked to worry about your blood ties."

"The way I looked?"

"Yes. Don't you know? You were the most beautiful girl there."

"Ha! Thanks Edward. I needed a good laugh."

"I'm not joking."

I roll my eyes so hard, my optic nerve almost severs. "OK, let's pretend what you're claiming is true. How would you even know in the first place what they thought of me? What did you do? Render yourself invisible and eavesdrop on hundreds of conversations all at once?"

My remark was supposed to be taken as obvious sarcasm. So, why has Edward's face become guarded? He will barely look me in the eye now.

And, more importantly, he doesn't answer my question.

There's a funny feeling tying my stomach into complicated knots. Do vampires turn invisible? I can't remember. It's been a while since I last read Bram Stoker's Dracula.

"You didn't...right?"

"Didn't what?" he asks.

"You know. Turn yourself invisible?"

"I don't have any powers like that, Bella."

I relax, but only slightly. "How about turning into a bat? Did you hang from the rafters and eavesdrop that way?"

His lip twitches almost into a smile. "No. That's a myth. I can't transform into anything. What you see is what you get when it comes to me."

"OK...then how did you hear and see so much tonight?"

He rotates back to the road and lifts his foot off the brake pedal. The car creeps past the stop sign. "I'll tell you later."

"Why can't you tell me now?"

"Because I'd rather us be closer to your house first. If I did it here, you might try to jump out of a moving vehicle in your haste to get away from me."

"You don't really believe I'd do that, do you?"

"Bella, you are the greatest enigma I've ever stumbled across. I can never say with any certainty what you will or will not do. Therefore, I prefer playing it safe before disclosing anything else about myself."

We're steadily approaching Forks. It's only a few minutes away. My eyes drop to my lap. That's when I finally notice I'm still in my dress. What if my dad decided to come home early from work? I'd walk through the front door in my fancy prom-like dress and he would know I've been up to something tonight. I have to hide this somehow. Edward could drop me off at the gas station and I could change in the bathroom - like I did earlier this evening - but, I have to be honest with myself. I'm not quite ready to lose sight of him yet. I don't want to walk out of the public bathroom to find that he once again vanished from my life.

"Hey." I jerk a thumb behind me. "Um. Would it be OK if I move to your backseat so I can put some pants on? I can't show up to the house wearing this."

"Certainly. Go ahead," he says.

I mumble my thanks and crawl over the seat. Grace has never been a particularly strong trait in me, so it comes as no surprise when my butt falls with a loud thump onto the long bench seat. It sort of feels like I'm bouncing on a trampoline.

"You OK back there?"

I stifle a giggle. "Yes."

"Good."

"You sound relieved," I point out.

"That's because I am."

"Why? I fell, what? Two feet? I doubt I'll break my neck from that great height."

"You shook the car, Bella." He says this as though that should explain his concern.

"So? You shouldn't worry so much."

"When it comes to you and your safety, I'll always worry. You attract danger like no one I've ever seen."

"And you break things like no one I've ever seen." With a challenging smirk, I pick up the missing top part of the steering wheel and present it to him over the front seat. It had been laying back here like a forgotten jacket. "You should really be more careful with your things, Edward," I tease.

His face goes deadpan flat. All he does is take the broken part from my hand and unceremoniously dumps it on the dashboard. I guess he can't think of anything decent to say in retaliation.

Satisfied with the results of my comeback, I focus on getting dressed. I dig through my book bag until I locate my jeans. They're at the very bottom, under layers of other junk. I shake out the wrinkles, toe off my kitten heels, and stretch longways across the backseat. The hem of my dress bunches up around my upper thighs as I prepare to slide the jeans on. I shove one foot inside of a pant's leg. When I go to do the other, I accidentally kick my shoes to the floor. They make a loud, tumbling racket. Edward flinches, his eyes flying to the rearview mirror to check on me.

The anxiety on his face vanishes in less time than it would take for me to snap my fingers.

Another expression takes hold. His gaze deepens to such an extent that I suddenly find it hard to breathe. In our shared reflection, I notice one of my bare legs is bent at the knee while the other appears longer and more shapely than I recall. The more he stares, the more I feel like a work of art hanging on a wall. That's when another truth dawns upon me.

Edward is attracted to me just as much as I am to him.

I don't understand why, though. I'm nothing special... but you sure won't be hearing me complain.

I let out a labored breath. He swallows, Adam's apple quivering in his throat. Then his eyes dart away from the mirror. He pushes it to the side until both of our reflections disappear. "Sorry," he says. "I shouldn't have looked."

"It's fine. You didn't mean to." I smile a little. "There wasn't much to see yet anyway."

He doesn't respond. Awkward silence comes between the two of us. As my pants slide up my legs, all I can seem to hear are Edward's agile fingers drumming against the steering wheel. It's a hard and fast tempo.

I button the fly of my jeans and debate what I should do next. Take the dress off completely now, or just tuck it inside my pants and wear a jacket over it? I look at the dress again. The skirt is puffy and full of ruffles. I honestly doubt I could get away with stuffing it inside of my jeans without arousing suspicions. It would look like my ass ballooned three times its size overnight. I guess it would be best to play it safe and take the dress off.

I give another glance at Edward. He's still facing forward and not peeking. I reach behind my back and grab the zipper to the dress. It moves slowly down the track, the sound loud to my ears. Edward's fingers stop their drumming and remain motionless, like tree limbs on a windless night. As the soft fabric falls from my shoulders, his hand starts moving. It rises up and heads for the rearview mirror, as though he's planning to readjust it. My heart stutters, both nervous and excited by the prospect of his heated gaze scorching me in places no one but myself has ever seen before.

But that doesn't happen.

He grabs the rearview mirror and rips it off the windshield. It drops with a clank to the dashboard. He shoves it away like it's made of plutonium.

I pause in undressing myself. "Everything OK?"

He nods. Although his head movement says "yes", the pale white hands gripping the steering wheel like a vise says "no".

Desperate to fill the silence, I clear my suddenly hoarse throat and slip out of the confines of my dress. "So...Edward. You never did tell me when you were born."

It isn't until the sign announcing we're only two miles from Forks appears does he utter a sound. "I know. It's because I'm worried about how you'll take it."

My head pops through the neck of the shirt I just put on. "Don't be. I think we've already established that you've been around for a long time, Mr. I-haven't-harmed-a-human-in-over-fifty-years."

I hear a sound come from the front of the car. It's either a soft chuckle or a huff of exasperation. I'm not sure which it could have been since I can't see Edward's face. A few more seconds tick by. Then comes his response. "1901."

My brain scrambles to do a quick calculation. I'm stunned by the answer. "You're...eighty-four years old?"

"No. My birthday isn't until June. I'm only eighty-three at the moment."

I stare at the back of Edward's head, eyes round with wonder. Then, I throw my head back and laugh.

"What's so funny?" he asks.

Now dressed in my normal clothes, I climb back over into the passenger seat. His head turns cautiously my way. There's still a huge smile on my face. "Nothing much. It's just that I realized you're the oldest person I know. My neighbor, Mr. Castleberry... he's seventy-nine and doesn't look half as good as you do. Maybe you could be nice and give him some pointers on how to stay young despite being a senior citizen."

"Oh Bella. Does nothing faze you?" I shrug. Edward sighs. "Anyway, you're wrong," he continues. "I'm not the oldest person you've ever met...not by a long shot. Carlisle has that distinction. He'll be three hundred thirty-nine later this year."

"Carlisle is a vampire?"

He nods. "And Esme."

What with the excitement of Edward's return and his confession tonight, I had completely forgotten about his family. It makes sense that they would be vampires too, I guess. They both have the same pale skin tone and outrageously beautiful facial features as Edward...

"Are you frightened yet?" he says while I'm busy staring off into space.

I cast narrowed eyes at him, beyond irritated. "Stop thinking you're going to scare me off, Edward. I'm not going anywhere."

"Most people would be scared. I just confessed that there are three vampires in Forks and you barely react."

"Why should I be afraid of your family? They're obviously just like you and aren't a threat to anyone."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because Carlisle is a doctor. If he was really an evil, bloodthirsty monster, there would be stacks of bodies at the hospital with bite marks on their necks. And Esme reminds me of a Disney princess and Donna Reed rolled into one. I doubt she would hurt a fly. They both seem really nice."

"I fear that you trust people too easily," he grumbles.

"No. I trust you, Edward. If they were dangerous, you would never have introduced them to me in the first place."

That shuts him up.

We're quiet as we pass into town. It's a little after ten o'clock on a Saturday night and the streets have only light traffic. The street I live on is nearly always empty since there's only two houses on it. We drive past them both in order to scope out the neighborhood. My house is dark with no patrol cars sitting in the driveway. That's good news. Dad is still at the police station. I glance at the house across the street. It has only one light on upstairs with no signs of life otherwise.

"That's weird," I say. "I can't believe Mr. Castleberry is still up. He isn't a night owl. He usually goes to bed early so he can wake up before the crack of dawn. I hope he's OK."

"He's fine. He probably fell asleep while watching television."

My head whips around to Edward. "How do you know?"

He pauses. "I hear him."

"Huh?" My eyebrows snap together. "Do you mean you hear his snoring?"

"Yes, I do... plus other things."

"Other things, like?"

Edward parks far enough down the street where it would be impossible for anybody at either one of the houses to see that I'm being dropped off. The engine dies and he swivels around in his seat.

"Vampire senses are more advanced than what a human's could ever be," he announces. "Our eyesight is sharper, and our hearing is more sensitive. The average vampire is capable of hearing a leaf fall 100 yards away. However, some of us are more gifted in certain areas than others. Take me, for example. I see and hear everything. Hopes. Fears. Private conversations. Dreams. Interestingly enough, your neighbor is having a dream at this very moment. An attractive widow he's too intimidated to approach in real life just invited him to have coffee at the diner. It's a vast improvement compared to the dreams about his garden he normally has every night. I find them to be a bit on the boring side."

He dips his head towards the steering wheel. "Earlier you asked why I broke this. The reason was Todd. I was forced to overhear some of the graphic things he wished to do with you later tonight. To put it bluntly, he regarded you with the same respect as he would an inflatable sex doll. I couldn't stand it. Therefore, my only choices were to either break this steering wheel or Todd's neck." Edward frowns. "I'm still unsure if I made the right decision."

His words bounce around my head like that virtual ball in a game of Pong. My brain refuses to accept the obvious. A part of me even hopes that maybe this is just a big misunderstanding.

"Excuse me, but are you trying to say that you... read minds?"

"Yes. I can hear the thoughts of almost every man, woman, and child within a roughly two and a half mile radius."

The news stuns my body immobile. Only my heart is capable of movement. It flutters faster than hummingbird wings. While I'm having a freak out of epic proportions, Edward's brow furrows all of the sudden. His gaze drops to my ribcage.

I have to suppress a gasp when I realize why.

Oh, no. Not only can he hear my thoughts, I bet he's heard every time he's made my pathetic heart skip a beat!

Through my panicked haze, I torture myself by repeating his confession on a loop inside my mind. One thing begins standing out the more I think about it.

"... I can hear the thoughts of almost every man, woman, and child," he had said.

Although my curiosity has been aroused, I remain traumatized by the thought he's been listening to my internal monologue for months. There's a lot of stuff I would rather him not know about... like, how often I stare at him when he isn't looking. I reestablish eye contact with him reluctantly. "Umm...you said, almost?"

"I did."

"And that means?"

"It means you are the first and only person of whom I have never heard a single thought. That includes humans and vampires, by the way. I've searched for your mind a million times and, so far... nothing."

My head jerks back. I don't know if I should celebrate or be concerned. "Why?"

"I don't know." He cracks a small smile. "It drove me insane at first, not knowing what you were thinking. But now I find it to be a breath of fresh air, so to speak. I never know what you'll say or do next. It keeps things... interesting."

I give him a look that says he's crazy. "You read minds and live forever, yet you think I'm the one who's interesting?"

"Yes. Exceedingly so." His eyes squint a little. "Sometimes I still wonder what's going on in that head of yours. I have a feeling it's even better than the things that come out of your mouth."

"Sorry to disappoint, but it really isn't."

"Hmm. You sound sincere, so why is it that I don't believe you?"

His probing stare gets to me. It almost makes me think he's lying about not being able to read my mind. I grab my jacket and shrug it on just to give me something to do. "Weren't we supposed to go to my house to talk, or are we just going to sit out here all night?"

He cocks a brow but doesn't comment on my attempt at distraction. "Going to your house sounds like a much better plan," he says. "Though, I must say I'm surprised you're still willing to invite me inside considering what you've learned tonight. I assumed by the time you heard of my mind reading ability, you would have finally had enough and been eager to wash your hands of me."

"Well, Edward, remember that saying about what happens when you assume things? It makes an ass of u and me. But in this case, I think it would be mostly just you."

His eyes sparkle over at me. "It's also nice to see you haven't lost that smart mouth of yours. I would have been devastated if you had felt too intimidated to utilize it anymore."

"I aim to please," I mumble back. I unbuckle my seatbelt and then wrap a hand around the door handle. "Let's go."

"Wait, Bella. I can't go to your house yet. I need to hide the car first."

I bite down on my lower lip. "Oh, yeah. I guess you do." I think over a few ideas before giving him the best one. "There's a short dirt trail leading into the woods further up the road. I think it would be wide enough for your car to fit. Just drive a minute or two and-"

"I already know where it is," he interrupts. "I've used it before."

"You have?"

"Multiple times."

My eyebrows lift. "Wow. You really took that following me around thing seriously, didn't you?" Another thought crosses my mind. "Um. After you park the car and everything, remember to stay far away from the front door. All it would take is one passing motorist seeing you knock and then word would get to my dad that I had an unsupervised, after-hours visit with a boy. That wouldn't be good, obviously. So, you'll need to sneak around to the backyard and wait for me to let you in. OK?"

Edward nods. "Avoid the front door, come in through the back. Got it."

"Alright. See ya in a few."

I exit the car, throw my book bag over a shoulder, and take several steps down the road. Behind me, I hear Edward restart the engine. Or maybe it's better to say that he tries restarting the engine. The car wheezes and coughs instead of cranking. After several failed attempts, the Station Wagon rattles to life. A cloud of black rockets from the tailpipe, like a coal burning plant's smokestack. Edward grinds his teeth, not bothering to hold back his visible frustration. I hide my laughter behind a hand. What can I say? That look on his face was pretty hilarious.

I head for home while he drives off to park the car in a better place. Once I round the bend in the road and catch sight of the house, I mentally kick myself for not leaving the front porch light on. I have to unlock the door largely by touch alone. I walk inside and flip on the living room lights. The first thing I do is check the answering machine in case Dad called while I was gone. There are no new messages. I immediately relax.

My eyes drift to the clock on the wall. It should take Edward at least another three or four minutes to park the car and walk to the rear of the house. That should give me plenty of time to dump my stuff in my room before he gets here.

My book bag bounces on my back as I jog upstairs. I shove my bedroom door wide open and blindly switch the light on. I take exactly one step forward before slamming to a screeching stop.

Edward is in my room.

He's kicked back in a chair with ankles crossed on top of my desk. A paperback book is resting in his hands. It looks like he's made himself at home.

He glances up briefly from the novel and finds my stunned gaze. "Oh, hello. I hope you don't mind me borrowing this. I was browsing your bookshelf and it caught my eye."

I manage to close my gaping mouth and put forth a question. "How in the hell did you get in here?"

"Through your window." He turns a page. "I never pegged you as an admirer of Kate Chopin's The Awakening. Personally, I've always considered it to be a chore to read. I'm trying to give it another go just to see what the draw for you could possibly be."

I ignore his casual banter and hurry to the window facing the backyard. I check for ladders and/or coils of dangling rope. Neither is in sight. There's only a straight drop to the grass far, far below. I twist back around. "This window is at least twenty feet above the ground, Edward. There's nothing to climb."

"I didn't need to climb. I jumped." He shakes his head and softly snorts. "Now I remember why I hated this novel so much. It's the most depressing story I've ever heard. This woman is never satisfied with her lot in life..."

"Do it again," I demand. He pries his eyes from the book. Wide-eyed, I jab a finger towards the window. "Show me how you did it."

After a moment's pause, Edward places the book on the desk. He rises fluidly from the chair and crosses the room in approximately four steps thanks to his long legs. Cool night air blows in from outside after he raises the window. He stops to peek over his shoulder, his eyes caressing my face.

Then, he leaps through the opening and seemingly vanishes into the black void.

I'm not sure what I was expecting to see, though I can say with one hundred percent certainty it wasn't that.

I gasp and stick my head out of the window, dreading to find Edward splattered on the ground like a dropped water balloon. Thankfully, that proves to be not the case. He's standing under the light of the moon, looking as fit and obscenely handsome as ever. Once he sees that I'm watching, he performs what looks like a halfhearted jump. Somehow it's powerful enough to lift him more than a dozen feet into the air. His hands lock on to the windowsill and he hoists himself inside easily. He lands in my room with the agility of a cat. Without a word, he then saunters back to the desk, where he resumes his perusal of the paperback book.

I'm standing stock still, too astounded to move a muscle. It isn't possible for Edward to jump that high. It just isn't. Yet I saw it happen. At least, I think I did. Maybe I fell asleep during the ride home and I'm only dreaming...

Edward alternates between examining the book and my face. Once a full minute of silence passes by, he decides to speak. "Bella? Are you all right?"

His voice is velvet soft and full of concern. The sound of it serves to wake me from my stupor. I take in a breath and release it slowly. It helps a lot in calming myself down. "Yeah. I'm great. Why d-do you ask?"

"Because it looks like you're on the verge of screaming in terror."

I frown. "Well, that would be a stupid thing to do. Isn't screaming just a big waste of time? It would make more sense to conserve that energy for better things. Like, running away if you were in actual danger."

"Then why aren't you running yet?"

I shoot him a dirty look. How many times am I going to have to say I'm not afraid of him? Freaked out, maybe. But I'm definitely not afraid.

"Gee, Edward," I say in a flat tone. "According to all those horror movies I've seen, I'm not supposed to run. I should crawl under a bed, or maybe hide in a closet so it will be easier for you to corner me. Quick! Close your eyes so it'll be a surprise where I'll end up."

Edward stares with unblinking eyes. Then, he shakes his head and chuckles unexpectedly. "You're something else. I'm beginning to suspect you're not human. None of your reactions are what they should be."

I move closer to him. My head tilts with curiosity. "How did you do that? You jumped so high."

"It's just another advantage vampires can claim," he replies with a shrug of indifference.

"Have you ever thought about joining the school basketball team? I'm sure they'd love to have someone who can do a slam dunk so easily."

"Me in a sports program? No. That wouldn't be fair to the opposing team, now would it? Anyway, I'm not supposed to attract attention to myself. It's a rule we vampires must follow."

I almost laugh. "I think you broke that rule a long time ago, Edward. Even when you do something as simple as breathing, you attract attention."

Out of the corner of my eye, I get a glimpse of myself in the mirror hanging on the wall. I'm still wearing a side ponytail. I pull at the scrunchie until most of my hair falls below my shoulders. There's only a few bobby pins left to deal with. "So," I say as I begin fishing them out, "what are the other rules you have to follow?"

I blink. That's all the time it takes for Edward's reflection to appear behind me. His pale fingers plunge into my hair and begins extracting bobby pins. "There's only one, really. Everything else is merely a detail of the original rule," he explains softly. A pin drops to the dresser. Stray hairs fall against my cheek. Edward tucks them behind my ear, his eyes never leaving mine. "Keep the existence of vampires a secret from the humans."

Something in his voice alarms me. Gradually, I recall that tonight has been all about secrets. Edward has revealed so much tonight, it will take days for me to fully absorb what he confessed. I'm almost scared to ask a follow-up question, but I have no choice. I have to know.

"What happens if you break the rule?"

His expression remains neutral. He finds the rest of the bobby pins and sets them on the dresser. Then his hands sink into my hair. It's still wavy thanks to the use of a curling iron earlier this evening. He gently spreads the long strands across my back and rubs it between his fingers. "If you're never caught, nothing will happen," he replies much too casually.

"But if you are caught?" I press.

He pauses, jaw locking. "Death, for all parties involved."

I swallow heavily. "Which means, you and I..."

"No," he cuts in. "That will never happen. You once told me you could keep a secret. Do you think you can keep this to yourself as well?" I nod slowly. His lips turn up in the weakest of smiles. "Then we have nothing to fear in that regard."

"I hope you're right," I whisper. My forehead furrows. "Who goes around punishing vampires for breaking a rule anyway?"

"The Volturi. They're a group of immortals who think of themselves as our royalty. I suspect they must love the privilege their position brings them since they rarely leave their castle in Italy. So, the odds of them finding out about what we've been up to are very low, especially if we keep quiet. Dealing with them is really the last thing I'm worried about at the moment."

My rigid shoulders relax. He continues to play with my hair, shaking it out and twirling a lock around his chalky white finger. It feels incredible, but I also notice my hair looks dry and clumpy thanks to that hairspray I used tonight. The thought of showering suddenly becomes a must. After all, I still have Todd cooties on me. I'd love to wash them down the drain.

A frown tugs at my lips. "Edward? Would you mind if I go take a quick shower? I really need to rinse this junk out of my hair."

"Go right ahead. I don't mind." His fingertips lightly graze the back of my neck. "May I?" he asks as he brushes over the clasp of his mother's locket. I nod my consent. The locket lifts from my neck and he places it safely on top of the dresser.

I rotate away from the mirror to face him. "Thanks," I say shyly.

"Oh, no need for thanks. It was my pleasure." The way his voice smolders makes me think he's not exaggerating.

I suddenly feel dizzy by our close proximity. I try to blink away the feeling so I can talk to him without sounding like a doofus. "Um. You will stay here, right?" I reconfirm worriedly. "I don't want to come back from showering to find you gone."

He casts a look of disbelief my way. "I wouldn't dream of leaving," he replies. He strolls back to the chair and swipes up the paperback. "I'm still trying to understand why you would waste valuable shelf space on The Awakening. The subject matter revolves almost entirely around this woman's desire to escape the humdrum life of a housewife in the late nineteenth century. And right when she does rise above that position, the rejection of her lover sends her to suicide, thereby erasing everything she had achieved. What a terrible moral to convey." His brow lifts critically. "Besides, isn't this book too old-fashioned for a teenager living in 1985?"

I heave a sigh. What is it with him and that damn book?

"How would you know what it's about?" I counter. "If it's too old-fashioned for me, isn't it too 'risque' for someone born way back in 1901?"

His resulting grin is brilliant. "Touché."

Edward buries his nose back into the book. I collect my toiletry bag and head to the bathroom. As soon as the door closes, I rush through my tasks as quickly as possible, like brushing my teeth and showering at the same time. With my hair clean as a whistle, I towel off and reach for my pajamas. I avoided my usual oversized Snoopy t-shirt. Instead, I went with a matching camisole shirt and shorts in a light shade of blue. I've worn it maybe three times in the past year, mainly because the thin material doesn't offer much warmth on cool nights. But I decided being a little cold is much better than Edward laughing at my childish t-shirt.

I step back into my bedroom. Edward is standing across the room, scanning the items on my bookshelf. I move to his side. "What are you doing?" I ask.

"Peering into your mind," he says without looking away from the shelf.

My eyelids flap open. "But you said you couldn't read my thoughts!"

"I can't." He smirks and tips his head towards the shelves. "Examining your choice in reading material is the closest equivalent, I suppose. I see Wuthering Heights. Romeo and Juliet. Madame Bovary. May I ask why you have a fondness for romantic tragedies? I'm genuinely curious."

I regain my composure and wet my lips before I answer him. "I think you're looking too deeply into this, Edward. I don't prefer tragedies. I just like stories with excellent writing and original plots. You have to admit all three of your examples are classics for that very same reason."

"Hmm." His mouth purses, as though I've said something profound. "You say you like original plots, yet I see that you own an Anne Rice novel. Interesting. It's lucky for Anne she added a few falsehoods about vampires to that novel of hers, otherwise the Volturi would have surely punished her for revealing our secrets."

Slowly, he turns away from the bookshelf. His gaze lands on me and refuses to budge. I suddenly remember how all that make-up on my face has been washed away. I feel exposed now. It's just plain old me standing next to an impossibly perfect-looking guy. I blush under the scrutiny of his eyes. He steps closer and raises a hand. A cold finger moves with careful precision over one of my traitorous, flaming cheeks.

"Beautiful," he murmurs.

My face drowns further into a sea of red.

The sudden hard set of his mouth alerts me to some mental anguish going on inside of his head. He looks away and slips a hand into mine. "Come sit down," he says. "There's more you should know."

"More secrets?"

He nods and leads me to my bed. I take a seat on the mattress and pat the spot beside me. He takes the hint and sits down too. Then he stares at the floor. He doesn't make another sound.

"So? What is it?" I encourage.

His mouth twitches. "I can't think of any way to soften the blow, so I suppose I have no choice but to just flat out tell you the truth," he says quietly. His eyes raise from the floor to look at me head-on. "My family and I hunt animals because we believe it's the right thing to do. But it isn't easy to pass up human blood. It smells better, it tastes better, and it leaves you feeling more satisfied than animal blood. That's why it's rare to find a vampire who follows my family's lifestyle. Most of our kind prefer to hunt... the old-fashioned way." He pauses. "Are you with me so far?"

I nod.

"Although I disagree with the practice, I'm not going to criticize those who hunt humans," he goes on to say. "Could you convince the average lion to ignore his instincts and only eat vegetables? It would be a lot to ask of him, wouldn't it? But hunting humans has its drawbacks too. After you take a life, the guilt has a tendency to stay with you."

"And I'm guessing you know that from personal experience?"

His face is expressionless, but his eyes are intense. "Yes."

I hold back a shiver. I can't let him see. He might never tell me anything else if he thinks I can't handle this. "OK," I respond, as cool as a cucumber. "What was it like?"

"It's difficult to put into proper words." He screws up his face, as though what he wants to say next disgusts him. "I suppose it was a learning experience. It was a long time ago and I was new to this life. Up until then, I had only fed from animals. Eventually, however, I grew tired of holding myself back and wanted to see what I had been missing out on." He stops to gage my reaction. I nod encouragingly. "I left my adopted family and went off on my own for a while. I couldn't stand to see their looks of disappointment. Even though I only took the lives of those I felt deserved to die, both Carlisle and Esme were hurt by my choice." At my obvious confusion, he elaborates. "I tracked down the scum of the earth using my mind reading ability. I found the people who had committed horrific crimes but would never be brought to justice. I thought eliminating a murderer or rapist would cancel out what I was doing. But as the saying goes, two wrongs don't make a right. I would kill the guilty and then spend days afterwards wallowing in self-loathing."

"Why? You got rid of some bad people. What you did probably saved more lives than you took."

He scoffs. "I was playing God, Bella. It shouldn't have been up to me to punish anyone when I was a murderer myself." His irritation slowly ebbs. "Even though I learned that lifestyle wasn't for me, I do understand why most vampires continue to live that way," he says in a calmer tone. "It takes an enormous amount of control and dedication to abstain from drinking human blood, and not everyone is capable of sticking to it. Though I will say that a majority of them aren't thrilled with what they must do to survive. That is why most hunt as quickly as possible just to get it over with." His eyes harden into gold nuggets. "A few, however, find a perverse pleasure in the entire experience. They thrive on everything about the hunt, from the pursuit all the way down to the screams of fright. It becomes a game to them, one that they wish to drag out for as long as possible. They even like to see how much of the human's trust can be gained before..." He trails off the sentence, but I think I know how it ends.

"Before the vampire goes in for the kill?" I supply for him.

With a bleak frown, he nods his answer.

My eyes remain glued to him. "Have you met a vampire like that before?"

"Yes, Bella." His voice turns sharp. "We both have."

My face pinches together in confusion. Edward adds one word of explanation.

"James."

And just like that, my heartbeat takes off like never before. Images of a night from weeks ago resurface. I remember James' obsidian eyes and his relentless urging that I go off alone with him. At the time I believed he was a sicko, a potential rapist passing through Forks who just so happened to run into me. But, no. He was in reality a vampire, readying himself to feed.

"James was hunting me," I whisper.

"He was...and still is." I suck in a breath, eyes widening at Edward. "That's why I've been following you, Bella," he says in a voice as gentle as a bubbling stream. "I've been keeping him away from you. James has found a new game to play. It's between him and me, but you are the prize."

"Why?" I cry out.

"Because I had the audacity to step in mid-hunt and told him to leave you alone. Now he considers you to be the one that got away. Evidently, he dislikes being ordered around." His frown deepens. "James killed two people that night, an out of town truck driver and then Rory Parker. He used the truck to sneak back into Forks undetected, and he used Rory to thumb his nose at me." Edward pauses to take a breath. "Do you remember Daryl Nivens, the man they say was attacked by a bear in his cabin? Well, that's not what happened. James is responsible. He came back to the area two weeks after Rory's disappearance, made sure to stay well outside of my family's normal range, and then killed the man." Edward's eyes become pained as he stares into mine. "I went to the cabin to investigate. James had left behind a message which he knew only I would understand. And it told me that he hadn't forgotten about you."

A landslide of guilt crashes into me. Three deaths are on my shoulders, and all because James didn't get what he wanted on that night way back in March. I can imagine what would have happened if Edward hadn't shown up when he did. The last thing I would have seen before being drained of my life was James' cold, dark smile...

I don't realize I'm shaking until Edward wraps both of his hands around mine. His gaze softens. "So, you can show fear after all," he murmurs to himself.

I laugh a little at what he said, an odd byproduct of the hysteria inside of me. It's either I laugh, or I scream.

"Bella? Are you OK?"

I inhale and exhale a few times. Not once does he release my hands. It serves to keep me grounded. I feel slightly more in control of myself after a short time. "I'm fine," I answer weakly.

He stares long and unblinking, like he doesn't believe what I said. "Do you trust me?"

"Yeah. You know I do," I mutter.

"Then I'm going to ask that you do just one thing."

"OK...what is it?"

"Don't worry."

I fight back a massive eye roll. "How am I supposed to do that? You just told me there's some crazed vampire out to kill me."

"Do you seriously think I would ever allow James within a mile of you? My family and I have been taking turns patrolling the town and surrounding areas. That's why he hasn't tried going after you again. Three against one. That's terrible odds. James might be a psychopath, but he isn't stupid either. He wouldn't dare trespass when there's a possibility he might run into us. Besides, we haven't seen a trace of him in weeks. There's a chance he's moved elsewhere to wreck havoc."

"But what would happen if he did try to sneak into town?" I say in growing alarm.

Pure fury darkens Edward's face. "I would destroy him."

"No! You can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because he might hurt you," I reply in almost a whimper.

"Highly unlikely. It's clear you are forgetting that I have an advantage over him." Edward taps the side of his head. "I can read him like an open book. Any move he might make, I'll anticipate it beforehand. Plus, I'll have Carlisle and Esme to back me up. Between the three of us, he won't stand a chance. See? Nothing to worry about."

"I still don't think it's a good idea," I mumble. Even with the limited contact I had with James, I know that he can't be trusted to fight fair. I bet he'd be the type to cheat. My face then scrunches up as I recall something Edward just said. "Um. How do you destroy a vampire? Do you hammer a stake through their heart or something?"

"No. That's another myth. There's only one way. You set them on fire."

"Fire?" My eyes narrow. "Why do I hear the word 'fire' and your name connected so often? Are you sure there's no truth behind those rumors about you?"

He smiles apologetically. "Rest assured I have no unhealthy fascination with fire. You see, my family and I have roles we must play in order to blend in with human society. Carlisle and Esme often take on the roles of being my guardians. I'm usually a younger brother, nephew, or sometimes a cousin. Before the move to Forks, we decided this time I would play their adopted child. Of course, if I'm adopted, I would need a cover story on what happened to my birth parents. I made up an excuse about them dying in a house fire. I've found the more tragic the story, the more likely the townspeople will overlook any eccentricities I may have."

"So, it was all a lie?"

"Yes, though I did come to regret that cover story. The busybodies in town twisted that simple house fire explanation and changed it to being me who started the flames." He shakes his head, annoyance plain on his face.

"Then what really happened? To your parents, I mean."

His voice grows somber. "It was 1918. All three of us had caught the Spanish Influenza as it swept through Chicago. My mother and father were among the first to succumb. I would have died too if it hadn't been for Carlisle." At my look of surprise, Edward nods. "That's right. Carlisle has been a doctor for quite a long stretch of time. He felt compelled to help me...if you consider changing me into a monster as being helpful."

I give Edward an unmistakable glare. "Stop calling yourself that."

"Why should I? That's what I am."

I tsk in disapproval, arms folded across my chest. "Monsters don't usually go around saving damsels in distress, Edward."

Something visibly changes in his mood. His head tilts to the side, as though he's appraising me. It makes me nervous. By degrees, the frown he was just wearing is replaced by a wicked gleam in his eyes. "True, but I believe you are leaving out a very important detail." He leans in closer, until he's only inches away from my throat. "The monster must also ignore his own primal instincts in order to keep the damsel alive." The tip of his nose brushes against my neck, moving up and down in a lazy pattern. It sends up countless goosebumps to my entire body. "The damsel tempts him in every way possible," he murmurs. "The monster has tried to behave himself. He really has. But the damsel has proven to be irresistible." He pauses to breathe the air above my skin. He inhales deeply, as though it's a bouquet of roses. After taking in several lungfuls, his mouth rises to hover at my ear. "So the question is... who's going to save her now, Bella?"

I don't know what affects me more. Is it his words, his voice, or that predatory leer he's giving me? Honestly, it's probably a three-way tie.

"Maybe she doesn't need to be saved this time," I reply, almost breathless. "Maybe... this is what she wants."

All traces of humor are gone from his face. "Are you sure?" he says. "If you have any doubts about me, you should say so now. I don't know if I'll be able to leave you alone if we take this much further."

The word "leave" sends me into panic. I clutch a fistful of his jean jacket to keep him from going anywhere. "I'm positive," I whisper.

His gaze drops to my mouth and lingers there. "Do you think..." he begins, his voice smokey and low. "Would it be possible for you to not move?"

I barely have the strength to nod my head. I manage to do it once, just enough for him to understand my answer.

He moves in slowly, giving me plenty of time to absorb every detail. I see the gold flecks in his irises which seem to have darkened, the thick lashes which frame his eyes, and the look of determination on his face. He brushes back a stray piece of my damp hair before coming any closer.

Then he's right there kissing me.

His lips are solid and cool like marble, yet somehow they generate a rush of heat that surprises me. It radiates out from my mouth and travels to every part of my body. I start thinking that this is as good as it gets. I'm proven wrong when both of his hands cup my face. His lips go from perfectly still to moving over mine.

Desperate for more, my mouth parts open and mirrors his movements. He tastes savory sweet, like salted caramel. I let out a low moan that would have normally embarrassed me for life, but I'm too happily occupied at the moment to care. I think Edward and his mouth have inadvertently released some inner vixen that's been hidden inside of me all this time. Bless him for finding it.

The delicious tingling pressure against my lips disappears. I'm kicked out of the clouds and my ass lands back on earth. My eyes flutter open to find that not only is the room spinning like a top, but Edward is also openly staring at me.

"W-what?" I stammer self-consciously.

"Well... you're panting. Is that normal for you?" He smiles. It makes him look even more handsome than usual.

I'm having trouble forming words. My world spins faster. Edward and everything else around us looks fuzzy around the edges. Soon spots form in front of my eyes. And...

What was it that he just asked me?

Edward's warm smile falters. "Bella?"

I open my mouth to reply. Nothing will come out.

A second later, I'm flat on my back and underneath the sheets of my bed.

Edward appears above me. He lays a hand flat across my forehead, like he's taking my temperature. "Skin flushed and clammy," he mutters. "Respiration elevated. Heart rate 189 beats per minute..."

"Oh, god." I hide under my arm, thoroughly humiliated that he can keep track of my frailties so easily. "Please shut up," I groan.

"Hmm. Well, at least it sounds like your mouth has made a full recovery." He pulls my arm away from my face. "Are you feeling better now?"

"It depends. Will you stop monitoring me like some life support doodad at the hospital?"

"I'll try." I aim the stink eye at him. "What?" he asks, seemingly all innocent.

"You, that's what. How come I'm the only one panting like I ran a marathon and then blacking out?"

"Looks can be deceiving."

There's not even a hair out of place on his head. I sink further into depression. "Well, it 'looks' like you came out of that kiss just fine to me," I grumble.

"Bella," he exhales. He begins tracing my lower lip with his thumb. Even though I'm trying hard to stay annoyed, the gesture quickly wears down my resolve. "I was more affected than you think. But you must remember that there are two sides to me: The man and the monster," he says. "The monster still lurks under the surface and could make an unwelcome appearance if I'm not careful. Your scent is like heaven and hell. It's sweet...and appealing in more ways than one. I find it highly addicting. I have to watch myself every second when I'm near you. If I let my guard down, that other side of me could hurt you."

My interest perks up. "I'm addicting? Like a drug?"

"Exactly," he nods.

"Well, maybe you should break the habit by doing what Nancy Reagan's been saying all these years. 'Just say no'."

"Ah. I didn't realize it was so simple." His eyes squint, as though he's thinking hard. Then he plants a kiss on my forehead. He backs away after a moment and shrugs. "I don't think it's working. I told myself 'no', and yet here I've fallen off the wagon already."

A smile takes over my face. I've never heard him sound so light-hearted before.

"So, do you think you can go to sleep now?" he asks in the next breath.

And there goes my smile...

"Why?" I ask, hoping it doesn't sound like a whine.

He points at the clock sitting on my night stand. "It's getting late. I'm sure Carlisle is wondering where I am."

"You have a curfew?" Wow. Carlisle and Esme must take their "parental guardian" duties seriously. Isn't Edward technically in his eighties?

He laughs. "No. There's no curfew. Actually, it's time for me to take over patrol duty of the town. I normally work the night shift, but Carlisle agreed to work a few extra hours since tonight was the dance." He winks. "I couldn't just let you wander the countryside unprotected, you know."

"What does this 'patrol duty' consist of?"

"Running mostly. And keeping on the lookout for James, of course." He lets out a sigh. "I suppose I can't put off leaving any longer." He strokes my face, his finger leaving heated trail marks on my skin. "Sleep well," he breathes out. Then he's rising from the bed and strolling over to the window.

Fear strangles my heart. All I can think about is the pit of despair I was trapped in those two weeks Edward was gone. I just got him back, and here he is leaving already?

"Don't go," I blurt out pitifully.

He stops and spins around. One look at my face and he's back by my side in an instant. "Why? What's wrong?" he says.

"I... I'm afraid I won't ever see you again if you leave."

"I won't be far. I'm just going to do a few laps around town every hour or so. The rest of the time I'll be right outside your house if you need me."

"But what if something bad happens and you run into James? Or what if you decide to disappear on me like you did last time? I don't think I can take that again."

He stares for an eternity. His expression turns serious. "Alright. I'll make a deal with you."

"Another one? Is it anything like the last deal we made?"

"No. This is more important." He leans forward, deepening his gaze. "Here's the deal. I have a duty to protect both you and this town. For that reason, I can't promise that I'll never leave your side. That isn't realistic. But, I swear that whenever I do leave, I will always come back to you."

I'm about to ask a follow-up question. He places a finger against my lips to stop me. "Shh. There's more, Bella. Listen to the rest before you decide to accept or reject my offer."

I nod. He lifts his finger from my mouth and continues. "In exchange, I have two demands to ask of you. The first is if you want me to stay around, you cannot allow my presence to interfere with how you want your life to play out. I don't want you to deny yourself anything on my account. You are human, and alive, and I want you to live the way you want. Agreed?"

"OK. I guess I can do that," I say after a moment's consideration. "And your other demand?"

"Talk to your father. Try and see if you can start a relationship with him."

I fly up into a sitting position. "What!"

Edward hushes me again. "I'm not asking that you let him walk all over you, Bella. If he's being a tyrant, I'm all for you giving him hell about it. But he's been trying harder to talk to you lately, and yet you have blown him off each and every time."

I sit up straighter. "How did you know about that?"

"I've been camping outside this house every evening for the last month. Remember? And I have excellent hearing." Once I relax, he continues. "The Chief wronged you and this town in a lot of ways. He allowed his pain to rule his life, and it negatively affected everyone. But you woke him up to some extent to what he has done, Bella. I think giving him a second chance wouldn't hurt. If it doesn't work out, fine. At least then you can say you tried."

My mouth forms a small pout. "Why is this so important to you?"

"I lost my family. I don't want you to lose yours too if there's any possibility of saving it. And you never know, building a better father/daughter relationship may lighten the Chief up in other ways. Like, for instance, it might help him adjust to what's going to happen this summer." I lift an eyebrow in question. He smiles. "I hear that Edward Cullen is planning on moving back to Forks. It would be nice if you could put in a good word here or there about him to the Chief. Perhaps it will even give your father a hint of what's in store for your future. I'm sure it would help lessen the shock once he sees that you've started dating."

"Dating?"

"Yes. Did you think I was going to just sneak in through your window every night and that's it? Forbidden love is fine and dandy in those romantic tragedies of yours, but I'd rather not have Chief Swan fire his service revolver at me when I show up on your doorstep. Bullet holes tend to ruin clothes."

My eyes bulge from my skull. "How would we pull that off? My dad hates you! He thinks you're a troublemaker."

"I'll prove him wrong. I can be a model citizen when I want to be," he says with a touch of arrogance.

"And if that doesn't work on him?"

Edward moves closer to me on the bed, his arms on either side of my body. "You'll be eighteen soon. He may not like that I'm in your life, but he won't be able to stop you from seeing me if that's what you truly want." His voice drops seductively. "So...do we have a deal?"

It's hard to think straight when there's a guy vampire hovering over you. I just barely remember what I want to say. "OK," I exhale. "B-but I have a demand too."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Um. Remember when you said something about guarding my house tonight after you get back from your patrol?" He nods. "Well, I was thinking... I don't want you to have to stand around outside all night. It sounds exhausting."

He huffs a laugh. "It's really no problem, Bella. I could stand out there twenty-four hours a day, every day, with no problem should the need ever arise."

My forehead furrows. "How is that even possible?"

"Creatures like me don't get tired. We don't sleep either."

"Never?"

He shakes his head. There's a sadness in his eyes that wasn't there before. "I think that's what I miss the most, the ability to sleep and dream." His wistful mood passes almost as quickly as it came. "I suppose it's fortunate that I don't need to sleep now. It makes keeping an eye on you and this house much easier to handle."

"I guess you're right." I play with my fingers in my lap, suddenly nervous at what I am about to say. "But wouldn't it make more sense for you to guard me from inside the house instead of out there?"

"Are you insinuating that I should stay here with you...in your room...all night?"

"Uh. Yeah?"

He stares off in deep thought. Then he breaks into a grin. "I think we have ourselves a deal."

My spirits rise. "Really?"

"Yes. Really."

He encourages me to lay down and pulls the blanket almost to my chin. I get a surprise when he stretches out beside me on top of the blanket.

"I thought you had to go?" I question.

"I'll wait until after you fall asleep. I'm sure Carlisle won't mind."

I sigh in contentment. Well, I'm not going to argue with him.

His arm works its way behind my shoulders, welcoming me to come closer. I lay my head where his arm meets his torso. It's the hardest pillow I could possibly use, but I've never been happier. I close my eyes and find myself relaxing. He begins humming to himself. It sounds rich and haunting...in a good way, of course.

I'm wide awake again.

"Isn't that 'Dream a Little Dream of Me'?" I say with one eye squinting open.

"Yes."

"Hmm. My mom used to sing that every night before my bedtime."

"I know. I remember you telling me." He proceeds to hum again, picking up right where he last left off.

"So... are you planning on singing me to sleep every night?"

He stops to arch an eyebrow at me. "No. You are the singer. I only provide the music. I thought we established this already?" I laugh a little. He cracks a smile. "Go to sleep, Bella."

He begins humming the song for a third time. I don't interrupt. I'm enchanted by the musical notes vibrating in his chest. My body soon gives up the fight and slips into a world of dreams.

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A/N- There was a teeny tiny callback to the movie Dirty Dancing hiding somewhere in this chapter. Cool points goes to whoever noticed it!

Next Chapter- Bella gets a few surprises come Monday. And, Edward poses a question she has never been asked before.

Thanks for reading. :-)